The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-05
THE JEWS AND EDUCATION
WITH THEM No UNEDUCATED
PERSON COULD BE PlUUs.
knowledge and Faith Are Not Given
to Neutralixe, but to supply
Each Others Deficiencies.

On the seventh DAY OF PASSOVER the
Rev. d. W. Marks made "The Rsls-
ton of Judaism to Knowledge" the
subject Of an impressive discourse at
the Weet London Synagogue OF
British Jews. Tie preacher said (:
"While it is freely admitted that the
Jea are to be regarded as the relisi-
GUS echoolmasters of msnkind, the
outer world has been very backward
ia-its- roooenitinp- of what the Hebrew
race has contributed to the general
advancement of science and letters
Tnst their intellectual faculties must
have tanned a considerable develop
ment under the Hebrew mon
arcby is evident not only from the
splendid literature OF the prophets and
psalmists, but al.o from the fact that
when Judah went into Chaldean cap
tivity, their intellectual requiremt nts
we're found to be superior to those of
the we'll reputed lterati OF Babylon.
OF Daniel, for instance, not to men
ton his leaIned associate, it is said
that light, underst ndiDg and intel
ligence (like that of the gods) were
found in MIN. On their return to
Palestine, the f st care Of the He.
bTews (rom that time described by
the name OF Jews) was to constitute
the new Slate; ard this Effected, their
all engrossing thought was the spread
OF education. Colleges Of high char
acter arose in the principal cities, aod
education, having bsen made compul-
sorry, schools were es ablist ed in svery
village and hamlet. Some writer's
have asserted that the jewish system
of instruction was altogether of a re.
ligious character, or, at most, that it
Only embraced the mere elements OF
secu ar knowledge. But this is an
error, clearly proved by the fact,
that while every citizen WAS
eligible for election as a member OF
the Ssnke1rim, the quali6, a.ions for
that Office were not simply q knowl-
edge of the sacred writings and of the
judicial code, but also proficiency in
the sciences (iDcluding the occult &C.
ences), and large acquaintance with
foreign languages and customs. 1t
was the Jewish maxim that no inlet
tr red person could become truly pioue,
and that kno Wedge and faith are not
given to neutralizs ca b other, but to
supply each others deficiencies. VIII Q
the fate of Palestine was about to be
sealed, thu Jews chung to their schools
with devotion that they had not
even shown for their temple, and
many noble minded rabbi went to
the stake for not renounciDg the
mission Of his race to spread kaowl-
edge abroad. Passing by TIE claim
set up by Josephus and Philo, aud
Endorsed by Theophrastus and Clear
chus that the ancient Hebrews had
been the teachers Of Pythag 1ras aud
Aristotle, it can not be questioned that
they distinguished themselves in the
great works of lit, nature performed in
Alexandria. Here Essen aad West
ern ideas frs { rmed q coalition; be
the Bible was translated into Greek
and the Avesia was done into Greek
verse. In these LAHORE, the Jews took
q leading part as 10 every leading
movement, and Philo became founder
Of the Nso. Platonlc school of philoso-
ply. Driven cut of Palestine by
which followed close
on the conversion OF Constar-
tine, the Jews found q home in
Arabin, where they raised up a vast
monument Of literature, the larger
portion OF which remains still inac.
ceseible to all who are unscquainted
with the Arabic. The agency of
Judaism in the formation of Moham-
was quite as important rs
in the production OF Christianity. The
dan views Of the world are
entirely taken from the Bible aud the
Jewish traditions. About the time
Of the origin of Karaism, the
Kingdom OF toe Kh Ears was founded
On the Ca plan by fragments of A.
tlla's army, then on their way back
from Europe. The influence of the
KhczIrs, whose kings professed Ju-
1aism must have bad considerable If
iect on the surrounding tr bss. The
Jewish kingdom collapsed at the be-
ginning Of the eleventh century, by
which tims the Jews in Spain had at
aimed degree Of high literary aud
scientific Importance.